In LEAD1, the new managers focus on how emotional intelligence will assist them to show up as leaders by managing themselves first, taking charge of their own emotions and behaviors so they can be effective role models ...

As you have heard me say before: Emotional Intelligence is not about being warm and fuzzy and nice all of the time...it is about being intelligent with one's emotions. It involves being aware of who you are as a leader and understanding how you are hard-wired so that you can manage your responses, build relationships, and achieve greater individual and collaborative responses.

It has little to do with one's title or about being the boss -- it has everything to do about connecting, communicating, and influencing. People follow you not because they have to; however, because they want to.

When leaders invest their time and energy on Emotional Intelligence they will see observable improvements on relationships, effectiveness, decision-making, and communication.

Fed Ex introduced a leadership development programme that delivered positive results. A blended training programme based on emotional intelligence with specific coaching for 6 months on chosen areas for improvement proved very successful.

“This is for the do-ers, myself included.It seems like we are always doing something, even when we aren’t doing anything. Doing nothing means different things to each of us, but it usually boils down to not getting anything meaningful accomplished.”

People often tell me that they don’t have time to practice mindfulness and I tell them that you don’t need time to practice mindfulness. In fact Mindfulness is the one thing that you don’t need time for. You can only practice now!

Big Empathy is about expanding our empathy to embrace the suffering and well-being of more of life, more deeply, more competently, and more seamlessly than we normally do.

Below are six potentially complementary paths – not methods, but general approaches – to developing greater empathy. Of course, in order to enhance empathy, they must be undertaken with a desire to truly connect with the Other....

Sharing an ideological kinship with such influential minds as Tolstoy and Gandhi, Schumacher’s is a masterwork of intelligent counterculture, applying history’s deepest, most timeless wisdom to the most pressing issues of modern life in an effort to educate, elevate and enlighten.

It is interesting that Thomas Merton, a Trappist Monk, suggested atheists were as likely to be good Christians as Christians. Character is not only measured in what we say we believe, but in the proof offered in our actions.

“Atheists are stereotyped to be (among other things) cynical, skeptical, and nonconformist,” they write. “Individuals perceived to endorse conflicting values, or who fail to openly endorse group values, could threaten to undermine performance and success of the group as a whole by failing to adhere to group norms.”

“Although acceptance and egalitarianism are endorsed as traditional American values,” they add, “perceptions of violations to personal and group values are often seen as justification for hostile attitudes and subsequent discrimination. Such justification is reflected in the unwillingness to accept atheists as an everyday part of American society.”

I'd agree with all of these, with the caveat that anything that resembles thinking - #9 and #11 - can be done outside the meditation sit. Sitting in meditation and having a meditative lifestyle go hand and hand - but don't try to do all mindful practices in a single sit!

Patterns in the iris can give an indication of whether we are warm and trusting or neurotic and impulsive, research has found.

Everyone has a different structure of lines, dots and colours in their iris.

So scientists at Orebro University in Sweden compared the eyes of 428 subjects with their personality traits to see if these structures in the iris reflected their characters.

They focused on patterns in crypts - threads which radiate from the pupil - and contraction furrows - lines curving around the outer edge - which are formed when the pupils dilate.

Their findings showed those with denselypacked crypts are more warmhearted, tender, trusting, and likely to sympathize with others. In comparison, those with more contraction furrows were more neurotic, impulsive and likely to give way to cravings.

The researchers argued that eye structure and personality could be linked because the genes responsible for the development of the

iris also play a role in shaping part of the frontal lobe of the brain, which influences personality.

They say the findings could one day be used in psychoanalysis and by companies screening candidates for jobs.

The results will be published in the American journal Biological Psychology. 'Our results suggest people with different iris features tend to develop along different personality lines,' said Matt Larsson, a behavioral scientist who led the study at Orebro University.'These findings support the notion that people with different iris configurations tend to develop along different trajectories in regards to personality.

'Differences in the iris can be used as a biomarker that reflects differences between people.'

The scientists suggested these differences are due to genetic variation, and pointed to the involvement of a gene called PAX6. This gene helps control the formation of the iris in embryos. Previous research has shown that a mutation of it is linked to impulsiveness and poor social skills.

The speed and accuracy with which irises can be mapped means there is growing interest in using photographs of eyes for security as well as research purposes.

The Government is testing the use of digital photographs of the iris on 'biometric' passports and identity cards.

Trials of the iris technology have been taking place at Heathrow, Gatwick and Manchester airports.

Patterns in the iris can give an indication of whether we are warm and trusting or neurotic and impulsive, research has found.

Everyone has a different structure of lines, dots and colours in their iris.

So scientists at Orebro University in Sweden compared the eyes of 428 subjects with their personality traits to see if these structures in the iris reflected their characters.

They focused on patterns in crypts - threads which radiate from the pupil - and contraction furrows - lines curving around the outer edge - which are formed when the pupils dilate.

Their findings showed those with denselypacked crypts are more warmhearted, tender, trusting, and likely to sympathize with others. In comparison, those with more contraction furrows were more neurotic, impulsive and likely to give way to cravings.

The researchers argued that eye structure and personality could be linked because the genes responsible for the development of the iris also play a role in shaping part of the frontal lobe of the brain, which influences personality.

They say the findings could one day be used in psychoanalysis and by companies screening candidates for jobs.

A fabulous article that will resonate with most teachers (and students)..."Mindfulness is a skill that has to be practiced regularly and over the long term to realise the most benefit. The more we bring our mind into the present in a formal or informal way then the more we can train the mind to pay attention to all aspects of our life."

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